he has published over 300 poems in various print and online journals. Wakefield is a poetry critic for the His work has appeared in American Literature, Sewanee Review, Midwest Quarterly, Light, Seattle Review, Atlanta Review, Tampa Review, Neovictorian, Bellowing Ark, and Edge City Review. Poetry Wakefield published his first standalone collection of poems in 2006 titled East of Early Winters, which was awarded the Richard Wilbur Award. His next collection, A Vertical Mile, was published in 2012 and was short-listed for the Poet’s Prize. His third, and most recent collection, was published in April 2022 titled Terminal Park. Personal life Richard Wakefield was for many years a long-distance runner, completing ten marathons and several ultra-marathons. Today, he is a long distance hiker, taking in much of the natural beauty the Pacific Northwest has to offer, the inspiration for so much of his poetry. With that, he enjoys taking road trips with his wife Catherine to some of the most scenic and striking natural landmarks in the region. He has played guitar and piano since childhood, with about 25 years of experience playing Classical guitar. Wakefield has shifted to American folk music and has expanded his arsenal of stringed instruments to include the Ukulele, banjo, and 12-string acoustic guitar. For several years in the 1990s he was co-owner of Rosewood Guitar, a dealer of fine instruments and accessories that was frequented by some of the top stars in Seattle’s grunge scene. With hiking and music, Wakefield also has a love for old cars, planes, trains, and farming equipment. He is a member and frequent visitor to the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma, WA, as well as the extended LeMay family collection in Parkland, WA. He is a keen Model-T enthusiast and the only multiple time participant in the LeMay Museum’s Model-T driving course. Richard has been happily married to Catherine Wakefield for nearly forty-nine years. They have two daughters: Eleanor Wakefield, a fellow academic who teaches at the University of Oregon; and Mary Wakefield, a Clinical Research Manager at the Knight Cancer Institute at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. They are both married: David Nyland and Jack Anderson. respectively. The Wakefield clan continues to grow, with two grandchildren and one granddog. Awards 2006 Richard Wilbur Award (For his East of Early Winters: poems, poetry anthology) 2009 Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award Publications Robert Frost and the Opposing Lights